PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Air Liquide (Paris:AI) has finalized the acquisition of Sasol’s 16 Air Separation Units (ASU) located in Secunda, South Africa announced on July 29, 2020. Air Liquide will operate this site - the biggest oxygen production site in the world - with a plan to reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% to 40% within the next ten years. As part of this operation, Air Liquide welcomes the more than 220 employees who will continue to operate these ASUs, joining the Air Liquide team in Secunda, where it already operates a 17th ASU.
The initial investment is approximately 8 billion South African Rand (circa 480 million euros). The 16 ASUs will be operated by Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa (ALLISA) with a total installed capacity of 42,000 tonnes per day. Since 2018, Air Liquide has been operating a 17th ASU for Sasol on the Secunda site, with a total production capacity of 5,000 tonnes per day. The 16 ASUs taken over from Sasol will be integrated in Air Liquide’s accounts starting from today.
Air Liquide will bring to the site its expertise in implementing highly mastered operational practices, state of the art technologies, modernization investments and digital capabilities to optimize the operation of the ASUs and the energy consumption. In addition, Air Liquide and Sasol have launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) to pursue supply of 600 MW of renewable energy to the operations in Secunda by 2025. This RFP is part of the joint commitment to pursue procurement of a total of up to 900 MW of renewables by 2030. The implementation of all these solutions will allow Air Liquide to reduce by 30% to 40% the CO2 emissions linked to oxygen production within the next 10 years, in line with the Group’s climate commitments.
Benoît Potier, Chairman and CEO of Air Liquide, said: “The finalization of this deal is a key milestone in our ambition to work together with Sasol, our partner for 40 years, to combine operational efficiency and reduction of CO2 emissions while making a meaningful contribution to the economy of South Africa. We are pleased to welcome the employees who are joining us from Sasol and are looking forward to modernizing the site and implementing our decarbonization plan. In line with our strategy, and with our commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, this operation demonstrates our resolve to act now in favor of the climate and local ecosystems.”
A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 78 countries with approximately 64,500 employees and serves more than 3.8 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.
Air Liquide’s ambition is to be a leader in its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability - with a strong commitment to climate change and energy transition at the heart of its strategy. The company’s customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable, regular and responsible growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.
Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to more than 20 billion euros in 2020. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes
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